Donkey Kong

Video Game Critic, The (A) (100%)

Granted, it's not the best stage in the world, but if you're a fan of the game, it's a real treat. Oh, and did I mention this game is hard as a bastard? But it's not due to "usual suspects" of poor control, bad collision detection, or cheap hits. No, the difficulty level is just plain tough, but it's that relentless challenge that made the arcade game so great to begin with. In other versions you're practically invincible while holding the hammer, but that's definitely not the case here. If you have the option, I'd advise you to pick up this fantastic translation of Donkey Kong. Cheap and readily available, it's the definitive home version.

Tilt (6 out of 6) (100%)

Une adaptation simplifiée du jeu d'arcades - Mario peut malgré tout utiliser un marteau pour brises les tonneaux - mais très agréable à jouer. L'enthousiasme des possesseurs du VCS Atari est à cet égard significatif !

Info ( ) (100%)

[Atarisoft version] This is one of a series of classic arcade games that Atari has decided to make available on the Commodore 64. He have tried several of these, and they are all very good. Atari confides that the 64 versions are the best they have ever done. Donkey Kong is a faithful reproduction with complex animation, all the right music and sounds, and all the original screens. (This has to be bad news for Chuck E. Cheese!) also available now are: Robotron/ Centipede/ Dig-Doug/ Defender/ & Pac-Man. Before spring there will also be: Stargate/ Joust/ Pole Position/ Galaxian/ Junglehunt/ Moon Patrol/ MS. Packman/ and Battlezone. We can't wait!

TeleMatch (1 out of 6) (100%)

Man muß Donkey Kong nicht begeistert aufnehmen, da man es zwangsläufig mit erwirbt, aber an der Begeisterung kann kaum gezweifelt werden, da diese Kassette sicher in vielen Fällen ein wichtiger Grund für die Anschaffung des Systems sein wird. Bestechende Grafik, ein vielgestaltiges Spielgeschehen und die bekannte Original-Arcade-“Musik“ zeichnen dieses Geschicklichkeitsspiel aus.

All Game Guide ( ) (100%)

Gorgeous animation (such as Kong stomping his feet), slick sounds (who could forget Mario's squeaky shoes?) and enjoyable challenges helped make Donkey Kong one of the most fondly remembered arcade games of all time.

JoyStik (10 out of 10) (100%)

The ColecoVision Donkey Kong is simply the best home/arcade game available today. The high-resolution graphics are terrific, the game plays like the original, and the sound effects even include the happy tune that greets you with each turn. What's more, you get to be the hero and save the Girl. Ah, chivalry...

Computer Games (A) (100%)

We didn't think the Coleco version could be topped, but Atari has done it.

Tilt (6 out of 6) (100%)

Aussi difficile que le jeu d'arcades, aussi beau graphiquement (ou presque) avec des effets sonores remarquables, cette version pour Coleco fera date. Un must !

Atari Times, The (99 out of 100) (99%)

So if you're looking for a great home version of Donkey Kong, you can't get much better than the Atari 8-bit version. The graphics, sounds, gameplay, control, levels, and screen order is about as faithful as you'll find. Even when compared to more recent versions.

Video Game Critic, The (A-) (91%)

Perhaps I've just become a Donkey Kong whiz over the years, but I was able to clear the first few sets of screens without much trouble. This NES translation has it quirks but ultimately succeeds in bringing the arcade experience home.

Video Game Critic, The (A-) (91%)

This legendary game (the Colecovision pack-in cart) really got the system off to a running start. In 1982, people were very hungry for the "arcade quality" graphics that this version of Donkey Kong delivered. It's a terrific adaptation, although it does have a few quirks. The first screen has a slightly different girder layout, and making it up last ladder is very difficult. Holding a hammer makes you invincible, unlike the Atari 2600 version. The second screen (the rivets) plays well but there's no ending animation of DK falling down, which some people were probably hoping for. The third screen is the impressive elevator stage, which looks virtually the same as the arcade. The conveyer belt screen is missing, as it is in other home versions of the game. Overall the graphics here are terrific, but the control is somewhat stiff.

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (90%)

Donkey Kong on the Amstrad CPC is one of the best versions I've played of this classic arcade game. Not only is it the one of most complete home ports you'll find, it controls amazingly well and is still a joy to play.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (9 out of 10) (90%)

The repeated saviour of Nintendo, Donkey Kong was conceived from such refined, simplistic brilliance it's provided a wealth of videogaming material to this very day, and the original title can still hold its own against the best of the rest.

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (90%)

Donkey Kong is a superb port of the Arcade classic and it's the sort of game you can play for hours due to the solid core mechanics. It's possibly the best home version out there and just tops the excellent port on the Amstrad CPC (1986) which is also missing the Conveyor Belt stage.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (9 out of 10) (90%)

Atarisoft is asking £29.99 for this cartridge - a lot of money, but then it's head and shoulders above anything in TI's own range for playability, quality of graphics and lasting appeal. A definitive must for TI owners.

All Game Guide ( ) (90%)

Some people find Donkey Kong, whether the Arcade or Coleco version, a bore. I'm not one of these people, but the action can get tired after extended play. The stages don't take very long to complete, and the intensity level is not on par with a game like Defender or even Ms. Pac-Man. All in all, though, Donkey Kong is a good-looking, whimsical game that will be remembered for a long time.

Amtix! (84 out of 100) (84%)

This direct conversion from the arcade version has kept all its appeal, and is still great fun to play. The graphics are very neat and the jingles are near enough the same as the original. Playing it now I found the first screen the hardest of the lot - strange I know, but the others are very predictable and once done they're no problem. I like it, but then again I always have.

Video Game Critic, The (B+) (83%)

Donkey Kong for the 7800 is fairly close to the arcade original. Climb ladders, jump barrels, rescue the girl from a giant ape. Three of the four screens from the arcade are in this version; the conveyor belt screen is missing. That's okay because it was the least fun of the bunch. As a matter of fact, I don't think that screen made it into any of the home versions of Donkey Kong. This game does have a few flaws. The squeaky shoe sound from the arcade game has been replaced with a more annoying sound effect. Sometimes it can be difficult to pick up the hammer. But other than that, this is classic fun.

Nintendo Master (8.3 out of 10) (83%)

Un classique à voir, voire à avoir !

Fragland.net (81 out of 100) (81%)

Dondé esta el tiempo or where is the time that I played a Donkey Kong clone on the Atari 1040ST. I discovered it by accident actually as I was tired of playing Sokoban, Space Invaders or Taito's Arkanoid, I decided to search through Daddy's pile of diskettes to find a new interesting application. Most of them where plain midi files which he used to study the songs in a Qbase-like program. Quite useful to people who want to learn music as that tool allows you to only play the melody so you can accompany it or vice versa. Anyway, soon disks where running out but as I got to the last package, my luck was about to change because in one of those I discovered Donkey Kong.

Nintendo Life ( ) (80%)

Mario (or rather Jumpman) may seem quite limited in his abilities (and death by a short fall is very old school), but Donkey Kong is a fun game. Tougher than the NES port it can get quite addictive as you seek to improve your high scores. Should the many re-releases of the NES version failed to have impressed, there's nothing here that will win you over, but for fans of the game, Arcade Archives Donkey Kong is something of an ultimate release. Three versions of it with a few display options and HAMSTER's usual array of modes and online leaderboards make this a great choice for fans of high score chasing games.

Game Informer Magazine (8 out of 10) (80%)

However, this version is a copy of the NES iteration, so the little cutscenes, along with the conveyor belt level, are absent. Regardless of the omissions and primitive gameplay, Donkey Kong is pure handheld history, and it's still got that irresistible old-school charm.

Tilt (16 out of 20) (80%)

Techniquement cette cartouche est irréprochable. Les dessins s'avèrent fort bien réalisés et d'une fidélité à toute épreuve. L'animation, modèle de douceur et de précision, n'est jamais prise en défaut et l'écran ne présente pas de problèmes de scintillement dûs, par exemple, à la présence de trop nombreux objets en mouvement. Bref, du grand art !

VideoGame ( ) (80%)

Um malvado gorila aprisionou sua namorada, e você deve salvá-la. Só que não será fácil: ele não se cansará de jogar barris para obstruir o caminho.

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (80%)

Despite the sound issues, Donkey Kong on the Atari 7800 is hugely enjoyable, with great controls and gameplay that never gets old. In my opinion though, it doesn't improve on anything found in the NES port (1986) so unless this is your only option you're better off sticking with Nintendo's 8-bit version.

Atari Gamer - XL-XE Game Review Edition (8 out of 10) (80%)

Donkey Kong is one of the all-time classic arcade games and with its attractive graphics, great sounds and responsive gameplay this Atari 8-bit version is still one of the best out there.

neXGam (7.6 out of 10) (76%)

Mit Donkey Kong hatte Coleco definitiv den perfekten Launchtitel für die Konsole an der Hand. Technisch eine nahezu optimale Umsetzung, wird dem Spieler allerdings eine präzise Steuerung abverlangt. Dadurch, das Donkey Kong im Bundle erhältlich war, gibt es das Modul heute fast geschenkt. Wer den Titel noch nicht hat, sollte ihn unbedingt seiner Colecovision Sammlung hinzufügen.

Video Game Critic, The (B) (75%)

Donkey Kong for the Atari 2600 is competently programmed and enjoyable to play but I wish its programmer had been a little more ambitious.

NES Archives (B) (75%)

This one started it all for Nintendo so if you are a big Nintendo fan then this game is a must have. Also if you like early games or are curious about early video games then you should pick it up. Of course, you might as well just pick up Donkey Kong Classics, which contains Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong, Jr. in one Game Pak.

Atari Times, The (75 out of 100) (75%)

I know I've complained a lot about the 7800 port of Donkey Kong, but it's actually close enough to the arcade version of the game to satisfy most gamers, I suspect. It's still a challenging title which requires the player to think up a bit of strategy to advance in levels. Up to two players can take part in the fun, and there are three skill levels available – standard, advanced and expert. The instruction manual is thin and lacking in detail, but this is Donkey Kong -- any kid from the 1980s ought to know how to play.

Pixel-Heroes.de (7 out of 10) (70%)

Donkey Kong ist, auch wenn auf jedem System etwas anders, immer gleichwertig gut und sollte jedem Retrospieler bekannt sein.

Jeuxvideo.com (14 out of 20) (70%)

Donkey Kong ralliera tous les fans d'arcade, qui pourront avoir le plaisir d'une borne à domicile sans dépenser une fortune. Les joueurs occasionnels ou à la recherche de quelque chose avec un minimum de profondeur devront l'éviter, sous peine d'être déçus.

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library ( ) (70%)

It’s a competent port of a revolutionary game that unfortunately does not include one of the arcade levels (cement factory), which hurts this otherwise nice title a bit.

Pixel-Heroes.de (7 out of 10) (70%)

Donkey Kong ist, auch wenn auf jedem System etwas anders, immer gleichwertig gut und sollte jedem Retrospieler bekannt sein.

8-bit Central Retro Gaming ( ) (70%)

Donkey Kong is on everyone's list of favorites which I'm OK with since its a lot of fun and packs a big retro blast.

Game Freaks 365 (7 out of 10) (70%)

Don’t let the score I gave this game deceive you. The Atari 2600 version of this game is hardly worth your time if you have even the Colecovision version, and certainly isn’t if you have the NES version. You should only contemplate getting this version of the game if you are a collector who absolutely must have every game for the Atari 2600, or if you, for some reason, do not have an NES or a Colecovision. Otherwise, I would say that either of those versions would be a better choice than this version. This version is not bad, but it isn’t the best, and if you are only going to buy one version of a game, it should be the best.

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (70%)

Donkey Kong for the Colecovision isn't the best port but it would be unfair to be too harsh when you consider the timeframe it was released. It plays decently and although it was surpassed by future ports (namely on the NES and Amstrad CPC) it's still head and shoulders above other home versions of the early 1980s.

Pixel-Heroes.de (7 out of 10) (70%)

Donkey Kong ist, auch wenn auf jedem System etwas anders, immer gleichwertig gut und sollte jedem Retrospieler bekannt sein.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (7 out of 10) (70%)

I don't know why Ocean released such a game, but if you are looking for a good Kong game on the 64, try another Ocean release Kong Strikes Back.

Questicle.net (B-) (67%)

I’m grateful for the existence of Donkey Kong even if I don’t feel that it has aged well. It put Nintendo on the map, and without Nintendo, many of my and millions of others’ greatest gaming memories would not have been created. For that, I can only give the maddest of props.

Woodgrain Wonderland (B-) (67%)

I was all ready to rip into Donkey Kong for the 2600 with so many of the usual suspects: it was another high-profile release that disappointed fans, Coleco purposely made it bad in order to bolster Colecovision sales, it’s too easy etc. But guess what? Playing it today I found myself having fun – as much fun as any other version of Donkey Kong I’ve ever played.

64'er (10 out of 15) (67%)

Die Umsetzung des Automaten ist den Programmierern voll gelungen, obwohl man sich fragen muß, ob dieses Unternehmen sinnvoll war. Schließlich haben heutige Heimcomputer Fähigkeiten auf den Gebieten Grafik und Sound, die damalige Spielautomaten übertreffen. Deswegen darf man bei Donkey Kong auch nicht mit sensationeller Grafik und Musik rechnen. Trotzdem: wer sich für eine echte Software-Antiquität interessiert, wird sicherlich auch gerne den Preis für Donkey Kong bezahlen.

Amstrad Action (66 out of 100) (66%)

A very old game, what's needed is new ideas for new games.

Happy Computer (65 out of 100) (65%)

Wenn diese Neuauflage eines Super-Oldies nur 10, 20 Mark kosten würde, wäre sie eine originelle Bereicherung, die in keinem Software-Schrank fehlen sollte. Leider wird Donkey Kong aber zu einem höheren Preis verkauft, für den man wesentlich modernere (und auch bessere) Programme bekommen kann. Schade, daß so eine an und für sich gute Idee zu teuer (und damit unter Wert) verkauft wurde.

Kombo.com (6.5 out of 10) (65%)

Donkey Kong is a great game, and a true classic. It is hard to really know how revolutionary this game is without seeing it first hand in the infancy of the Video Game age. Still I don't know how many gamers of today could appreciate its wonderfully original scope and vision. And with Nintendo already releasing it for the Gameboy Advance through the e-reader I feel that this game may be find only collectors and hardcore fans interested in it.

Sinclair User ( ) (60%)

It's too little, too late. Here we have Kong, three years on and it's much the same. Progress? Who cares?

Zzap! (60 out of 100) (60%)

Fun, although interest will no doubt wane once the game is completed.

Video Game Den ( ) (60%)

So here you have it, Donkey Kong is definitively a highly-regarded arcade classic (praise that it rightfully deserves), and this port is incredibly faithful to the original game (despite the missing screen). But I feel that it just doesn't really hold up when placed against the rest of the Famicom library.

TeleMatch (3 out of 6) (60%)

Mit dem Spielhallen- oder CBS-COLECOVISION-Hit hat das beinahe nichts mehr zu tun. Eleganz wird durch Starrheit ersetzt, Dynamik durch Stumpfsinn. Wer nicht allzu anspruchsvoll ist der wird natürlich auch mit dieser Donkey Kong- Fassung eher zufriedengestellt als mit so manch stupidem Weltraum-Geballer. Aber ein mir bis vor kurzem noch unbekannter Videospieler im Teenager-Alter ist zu verstehen, der nach kürzester Zeit seine gekaufte Donkey Kong-ATARI-Kassette bei einem Freund gegen eine andere Kassette vertauschte...

Retro Game Reviews ( ) (60%)

Donkey Kong is an odd version of the Arcade classic due to its lack of screens, but it plays well and is a decent representation of the game. Due to the use of a minuscule 4K cartridge it's not a patch on the superior Colecovision port (also released in 1982), but there's certainly some fun to be had, if only for a brief play session.

8-bit Central Retro Gaming ( ) (60%)

Donkey Kong offers the gist of the arcade original, but like most "home" arcade games it suffered more than necessary escpecially with only 2 screens. But hey, It's fucking Donkey Kong and that shit is tons of fun! Later releases had improved graphics and more levels.

Digitally Downloaded ( ) (60%)

For $0.30 Donkey Kong is a fun trip down nostalgia lane. Once the price bumps back up to the $6.50 or whatever Nintendo is charging for NES Virtual Console games in your region, it stops being worthwhile.

Nintendo Life ( ) (60%)

Donkey Kong may have legacy on its side, but the reality is that it's a somewhat shallow gaming experience. As is the case with many early NES titles, this one was ported from an arcade cabinet, repetitive gameplay and all. That being said, if played in short bursts, this is definitely a game worth having on hand, available to share with younger generations of Nintendo gamers who may not yet have had the opportunity to experience it.

TeleMatch (3 out of 6) (60%)

Diese Donkey Kong-Fassung ist erstaunlicherweise nicht besser als die für ATARI, so daß man den Verdacht haben muß, die COLECO-Leute untertreiben ihre Möglichkeiten bewußt, um den — zweifellos nicht nur auf Donkey Kong bezogen, vorhandenen — Vorteil ihres eigenen Systems nach Kräften herauszustellen. Man hat es wie bei der ATARI-Version mit nur zwei Gerüsten zu tun, die jedoch ein klein wenig besser an die Arcade-Grafik herankommen.

FNintendo (6 out of 10) (60%)

Para quem quiser recuar aos primórdios do género de plataformas, Donkey Kong é o título ideal. Não apresenta uma grande diversidade de níveis, mas vale pela árdua tarefa de apanhar o maior número de pontos. Tal como qualquer outro jogo da sua época, é um título que exige bastante da habilidade do jogador e que rapidamente atinge níveis de dificuldade bastante elevados. Infelizmente, envelheceu mal na jogabilidade, mas foi aqui que nasceram Super Mario e Donkey Kong.

Eurogamer.net (UK) ( ) (60%)

Annoyingly, Nintendo stripped out the excellent second level out of this surprisingly faithful 1983 port, making this a somewhat less than essential purchase - even for hardcore fans. In fact, Donkey Kong is one of several games you'll come across on the Virtual Console service that will make you wish Nintendo had included a Virtual Arcade alongside the console offerings so that we could play it as nature intended. Make enough noise and we can make it happen.

Eurogamer.de (3 out of 5) (60%)

Dennoch war die NES-Version schon damals der Spielhallen-Fassung deutlich unterlegen. Zweifelsohne trotzdem ein Klassiker, der seine minimalistische Aufmachung mit einem forderndem Schwierigkeitsgrad vergessen macht – und nebenbei aufzeigt, wie sehr wir von modernen Games verhätschelt werden.

Nintendo Land (60 out of 100) (60%)

The limited numbers of courses (3) (The arcade version had 4) makes this a dull game that you will get tired of after only a few days. One good thing is that, once you have completed the 3 courses, the game goes back to course number 1 but now it is in game B, which means that the game is more difficult. A breakthrough in it´s day but not so good anymore. For die hard Mario fans only.

Génération 4 (58 out of 100) (58%)

Les graphismes sont similaires à l'arcade, qui date tout de même de 1982. Ce n'est donc pas vraiment une référence. DONKEY KONG se révèle assez répétitif mais il est distrayant. Il représente une véritable pièce de musée. Je le conseille plus particulièrement aux jeunes enfants, ou aux inconditionnels de la série.

Wiiloveit (16 out of 30) (53%)

The levels are all fairly simple, but once you’ve been through them, there is little want or need to play through them again. Plus, it’s very easy to die in the game since if you fall from any height, that’s above your own height - you’re finished. Combined with the fact that you can’t jump very far over gaps and whatnot in the first place means that whilst this game will always remain a classic, it just isn’t entertaining anymore.

Cheat Code Central (2.5 out of 5) (50%)

Everything about this game is old-school. It's not a very pretty looking game and the sound is equally low quality. At least the controls are responsive. Those used to games with moving backgrounds and 20-plus levels might find this game hard to look at after a few hours. In order to accommodate the GBA screen, the game has been compressed a little. There is a two-player mode that allows you to use the Link cable but it's not necessary since this game can only be played one person at a time. You can just use the same game and shoot for high score which can be saved for posterity if you desire.

Your Sinclair (5 out of 10) (50%)

Donkey Kong was a good arcade game and this is a good conversion, with all the frills, including the 'How high can you get?' dare and Donkey stomping the girders at the start. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's better than any of the versions that appeared all those years ago.

Gaming Target (5 out of 10) (50%)

There is definitely a lot of nostalgia involved in enjoying Donkey Kong. If you remember playing the game back in the glory days of 8-bit gaming, (wowie, an entire byte of graphics!) then you’ll get a kick out of reliving your youth. Otherwise if you’re looking for thrills and spills… expect to find a lot more of the latter. I’d say the entire game is fun for about 20 minutes, before getting dull. For the $5 price tag, you’re just better off waiting for the original Super Mario Bros. or some other classic Nintendo game to show up on the VC. Either that, or just buy Animal Crossing and find the hidden copy of Donkey Kong. At least when you’re done with DK, you’ll still have Animal Crossing to play, not to mention the free space on your Wii HDD.

Nintendo-Online.de (5 out of 10) (50%)

Jeder Zocker, der Wert auf sein Hobby legt, sollte mindestens einmal „Donkey Kong“ gespielt haben. Das zugängliche, spaßige Spielprinzip in Verbindung mit der großen historischen Bedeutung des Titels lässt die Herzen der Retro-Spieler höher schlagen. Auf der anderen Hand jedoch hat der Zahn der Zeit deutlich am Spiel genagt; für heutige Verhältnisse ist der Umfang unter aller Kanone und Grafik und Ton gehören zu dem wohl schlichtestem, was das NES hervorgebracht hat. Ganz zu schweigen davon, dass diese Fassung nicht einmal dem Original entspricht, sondern an entscheidenden Stellen gekürzt wurde. Der spielerische Wert von „Donkey Kong“ geht nach dem ersten Durchspielen nicht über das Highscoreknacken zwischendurch hinüber; dem Spiel ist deutlich anzumerken, dass es ursprünglich für Arcade-Hallen konzipiert war.

Tilt (10 out of 20) (50%)

Donkey Kong : difficile de comprendre cette nouvelle parution... Donkey Kong revient sur C 64 après plus de quatre ans d'existence. Si le logiciel a déjà fait ses preuves et que l'on peut à nouveau prendre plaisir à délivrer la malheureuse captive, l'ensemble reste sans surprise.

Power Play (47 out of 100) (47%)

Nur für Fans interessant.

64 Power / big.N / N Games (47 out of 100) (47%)

Bereits auf dem “alten“ Schwarzweiß-Game Boy gab es ein Remake, welches auf satte 100 Level aufgestockt wurde. In der GBA-Fassung sind nur die ursprünglichen drei (!) übrig geblieben.

GameSpot (4.6 out of 10) (46%)

The structure of the game couldn't be any simpler. You play the game's three stages in order, and if you beat all three, you go back to a harder, faster version of the first one. This repeats until you run out of lives. You have the option to play a two-player mode, but all you do is alternate with another player. The underlying incentive behind the game is to earn a high score, but since this is a no-frills port of the NES game, don't expect online leaderboards or anything like that. It's too bad Nintendo didn't release the arcade version of Donkey Kong instead, though in fairness, they do call it Virtual Console. At any rate, unless downloading Donkey Kong for the NES for 500 Wii Points ($5) seems like a complete no-brainer to you, you'd best give this one a pass and leave it to the history books and the fond childhood memories.

Game Hoard, The (3 out of 7) (43%)

Donkey Kong has not really stood the test of time, but its historical importance has lead to excusing away its little problems. For its time it was impressive and it paved the way for Nintendo to become gaming’s most important company, but as a platformer viewed with modern eyes, its rigid and a little too linear. Your path is practically set in three of the four levels and the only challenges to it are things like barrels that test momentum-based jumps and elevators that can too easily trigger fall damage deaths. Even at its most interesting in the rivet level, it’s not doing all that much, meaning that there isn’t really too much to Donkey Kong beyond an impressive legacy and little jumping problems.

Mag'64 (4 out of 10) (40%)

So bitter es für manche Nostalgiker und Retro-Fans auch erscheinen mag, "Donkey Kong" für das NES ist vor allem eines: schlecht gealtert. Der Spielwert dieses ehemals beliebten Arcade-Klassikers ist heutzutage dermaßen verschwindend gering, dass sich der übliche Virtual Console-Verkaufspreis für NES-Titel von immerhin fünf Euro tatsächlich nur schwer rechtfertigen lässt. Mehr als einen halbwegs akzeptablen, weil spielerisch leider sehr redundanten Pausenfüller sollte man hier selbst als retroaffiner Videospielliebhaber nicht erwarten. Was wahrlich nicht heißen soll, dass man mit diesem Spiel heute keinen Spaß mehr haben kann - vom Glanz der alten Tage ist mittlerweile jedoch nur wenig übrig geblieben.

IGN (4 out of 10) (40%)

The Virtual Console has a lot of potential. It has potential that extends beyond Nintendo's past home consoles. Like Xbox Live Arcade, the Wii's download service should offer classic arcade titles. Nintendo, built on a foundation of arcade hits and only later expanding to the home market, should be encouraged to provide its quarter-collecting catalog alongside the classics from the NES, SNES and N64. The original, true Donkey Kong should be made available. The original Mario Bros., or Sheriff, or even the underwhelming but historically significant Radar Scope. So don't download this version of Donkey Kong. Send a message that you want the real game. The game that saved Nintendo from bankruptcy. The game that kept the company from drowning in thousands of unmarketable arcade cabinets. Give us the real Donkey Kong, Nintendo, not the same old incomplete port.

Nintendo Life ( ) (40%)

In short blasts there is no question this game is still very addictive to this day. You can keep coming back to it time and time again to chip away at your previous high score. If you happen to be a nostalgic gamer with rose tinted spectacles firmly in place, or even a huge Nintendo fan who wants to get to grips with the company’s back catalogue – this could be for you.

vc-reviews.com ( ) (40%)

This game will need no introduction for many. Playing as Mario you must jump over barrels and climb the scaffolding in order to rescue the princess from big bad Donkey Kong who taunts you from the top. You will need to perfect your timing when jumping the barrels and climbing ladders on your way to the top so you don't get hit. If you pick up a hammer you can take out baddies who are getting in your way. When you reach the top you topple the mischievous gorilla and get the girl. This is classic uncomplicated arcade action as it used to be.

1UP! (40 out of 100) (40%)

Au final, Donkey Kong est un bon p'tit jeu compte tenu de son grand âge mais qui passe quasiment inaperçu dans la riche logithèque de la NES, au milieu des centaines de jeux plus longs, plus riches et plus intéressants. Et forcément, la note s'en ressent. Toutefois, pour les nostalgiques ou les plus jeunes désireux de découvrir les racines de leur passion, Donkey Kong est un incontournable, une pierre angulaire de l'histoire des jeux vidéo qui permet de mieux en comprendre l'évolution.

Jeuxvideo.com (5 out of 20) (25%)

Le principe des Nes Classics est au départ louable. Faire connaître les vieux classiques de la firme, par le biais de son étoile, sa principale source de revenus, la GBA. Mais l'aspect financier reprend vite ses droits. Alors que l'on aurait pu retrouver ces concentrés de légende avec d'autres softs, ou en bonus, comme Métroid, les voilà vendus seuls, et à plus de 20 euros qui plus est. Donkey Kong était un très bon jeu, qui a fait son temps maintenant, et qui ne devrait pas sortir sans être accompagné. La nostalgie peut faire renaître des mythes, mais pas sous cette forme.

Video Game Critic, The (D-) (16%)

A lackluster title, it should also be noted that this game does not work on the Intellivision II.

ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (1.6 out of 12) (13%)

Aber, ich habe fast genau diese Version auch schon 1983 als The King auf dem Dragon gespielt. Der Spielablauf, die Animation der Figuren sowie der Sound sind zu 99 Prozent identisch. Warum also jetzt hoch solch ein in meinen Augen überflüssiges Werk? Es muß doch jedem Software-Fan klar sein, daß dieses Programm um einige Jahre zu spät kommt. Ich glaube kaum, daß sich sehr viele Freunde finden werden, die bereit sind, die „Weiße Frau“ aus den Fängen von „Donkey (King) Kong“ zu befreien! Au weia, ist das schwach!

Every Game I've Finished N/A

If you really like Donkey Kong, this doesn’t cut it. If you don’t… I mean, this version is quite easy? And you know what, I was surprised by how well it played despite being cut down. It’s fine. I played it.

Micro 7 N/A

Les 4 tableaux ainsi que les saynettes intermédiaires ainsi qu'une fidélité graphique remarquable.

Happy Computer N/A

Grafisch kann es dieses Spiel voll mit der Spielhallenversion aufnehmen, wenn es auch nicht vollständig mit ihr übereinstimmt. Ein Hit ist die Heimcomputer-Version dennoch.